CSUSB offers three music minors, all of them open to all students.  The ability to read standard Western music notation is an advantage in starting a minor, but not a pre-requisite of any of the curriculums.  However, students with no prior experience reading music must take MUS 100 and 101 as their first course in any of the curriculums.  The three minors are:

- Music minor:  This is the most generic of the Music Department's minors and it is for students who wish to continue their secondary school musical experiences on a collegiate level, but are not interested in majoring in music. The curriculum presumes some prior experience in performing on a wind, percussion, or string instrument, or as singer.  This is the most popular of the three minors.

- Recording Arts: This minor is for students interested in an intensive study of recording technology, including principles of computer and electronic music that influence it.  The curriculum presumes no prior experience in music or use of recording equipment.  This is a minor commonly completed by students interested in supplementing work in a related major and with career goals related to the music recording industry. Occasionally, music majors will complete this minor instead of a Music Technology emphasis within their BA degrees when their degree plans cannot accommodate all of the courses required by a Music Technology emphasis.  This is also a relatively popular minor.

- Jazz Studies:  This minor is for students interested in an intensive study of and performance experience in jazz music.  The curriculum presumes that students entering the minor have some prior performing experience on a wind, percussion, or string instrument, or as a singer.  This is a minor commonly completed by music majors interested in performing and teaching careers and skilled non-majors who wish to continue their secondary school musical experiences on a collegiate level.

Music minor roadmaps

These roadmaps do not account for GE coursework or courses in a major, but typically a student would start a minor in either the sophomore or junior year of a four-year program.  Students starting a minor early may decide to spread the coursework out, but should consult the appropriate CSUSB Academic Bulletin (catalog.csusb.edu) for course prerequisites, and also the general rotation of music courses (see the Music Handbook), before deviating substantially from these roadmaps: